Brooder heater



Dec. 3l, 1929.

F. C. HARE BROODER HEATER Filed Feb. 8, 1924 J 2am 7W A V f l l j V'.- 9,-/

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 FRANKLIN C. HABE, OF BOCKIEORD, LLNGES, ASSGNOR v'1.10 GEORGE A. WLSEY,

ROCKFORD, ILLNOS BROODER HEATER Application filed February 8, 1324. Serial No. 691,858.

rvEhis invention' pertains in general to brooders for hovering small chicks, and has more particular reference 'to the heater used in a brooder or hover.

The primary purpose to provide an improved heater of this kind, Which l have termed a metal mother, because it provides a comfortable and cosy heat-radiating means and serves in a very practical and eilicient manner the function of of my invention is a mother hen in hovering and Warming smallV chicks.

More particularly, my present invention is an improvement on that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,518,694@ issued December 9, 1924, and aims to increase the dependability, efficiency and economy of operation in heaters of this type.

Another important object is to provide a brooder heater of the character described which is constructed in such simple and novel manner as to permit of its manufacture at a comparatively loW cost.

One of the features of my invention is the method of automatically controlling the air supply to the burner for supporting combustion and also to the heat-radiating casing for serving asa heat-circulating medium. I have aimed to so limit the air supply as to insure a steady, low flame, which Will produce just suihcient heat for the purpose intended and to so limit the air circulation as to secure the greatest heat radiation and prevent dissipation of heat units. I have further aimed in this regard to provide a construction which will be easy to operate and will require the least amount of attention.

Other objectsv and -attendant advantages Will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following specification when considered inconnecti'on with the accompanying drawings. in Which*- ligure 1 is a vertical section through a brooder or hover showing my improved heater in elevation; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the heater.

My improved heater is designed to be set in any suitable brooder or hover casing or structure; and While this is the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that certain principles of construction and operation disclosed herein may be used in broeders or the like apart from the present embodiment.

Referring more particularly to the draivings, it Will be observed that the heater or metal mother above referred to is set in a hover or brooder casing illustrated in a conventionalmanner and designated generally by reference numeral 3.

ln the present embodiment, the principal, but not necessarily essential, parts making up the metal mother comprise a liquid fuel supply container d, a Wick burner 5, a liquid fuel Wick-feed container G, a retaining'ivall 7, va chimney 8, and a heat-radiating casing 9, these reference numerals being generally applied.

The liquid fuel supply container is preferably formed of an upper and a lower sheet metal disk 11 and 12 respectively, marginally joined by turning one edge over the other, these disks being further shaped to provide a relatively low fuel container, the top of which provides a chick-supporting floor, preferably flat, on which the chicks are adapted to gather and nestle against the heat-radiating casing. This chick-supporting floor is warmed by conduction of heat from the Warm air compartment and from the heated part, and. thus attracts the chicks to the heater. rlhe top and bottom disks are reinforced by annular ribs or depressions 13, this being one illustration of a means for preventing deflection, buckling or vibration of the container structure, which is a serious objection to burners of this type for the reason that any such movement of the container body displaces the air content and is very liable to extinguish the flame, especially if it is low. The container may be filled through an opening normally closed by a filler cap 14.

The wick burner 5 may be of any suitable construction, including a Wick vpassage 15, and at present has a body 16 threaded into a burner-supporting sleeve 17. This sleeve serves to hold the burner 5, the fuel containers 4 and 6. and the retaining Wall 7, in permanent operative relation. In this regard, it Will CJT be noted that the retaining wall 7 has a base portion 18 resting on top of the upper disk 11, that the container 6 is formed of upper and lower sections 19 and 21, respectively, the former of which is positioned against the underside of said upper disk 11, and that the burner-supporting sleeve has an end 22 extending through registering holes in said parts 11, 18 and 19, said end portion 22 having an outwardly pressed bead 23 resting on said base portion 18 and being turned outwardly over the container part 19 as at 24, thus clamping these parts together.

The chimney 8 restsvon the base portion 18 and has near its lower end a plurality of circumferentially spaced air inlet openings 25 for admitting air to the burner also an opening 26 through which the wick shaft 27 passes. This wick shaft it will be observed, extends to the exterior of the heat-radiating casing so that the wick may be adj usted without removing or in any way disturbing said casing. In making this adjustment, the flame is clearly visible through a peep hole 28 through the heater' hood of the heat-radiating casing, the flame being visible on a reflector 29 carried on the warm air drum 9 and arranged so as to receive-the image of the flame through an opening` 81 in the chimney and a window 82 in said drum. This feature is claimed in my patent above mentioned.

The heat-radiating casing at present is in the form of a warm air drum 38 resting on the base portion 18 and supporting a hood 34 composed of upper and lower disks and 36 and an intermediate partition 37 marginally joined together as shown. The air inlet to the heater' is through an opening 38, which likewise serves to receive the wick shaft, and the air within the drum heated by the burner passes through a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 39 to the heater hood, thence outwardly beneath the partition and through the circumferentially spaced openings 41 into the space above said partition and thence inwardly of the hood and out through the flue 42. This heater hood construction is likewise' claimed in my patent above mentioned. The advantage of this construction will be apparent, it being noted briefly that the heated air follows a circuitous path and practically all of its heat is radiated through the heater before it reaches the flue. Furthermore, the heater hood overhangs the chick-supporting floor and serves to heat the chicks from above.

It will now be observed that the wick feed container receives its supply of fuel through one or more fuel passages 43 near its bottom, communicating with the supply container, also that the wick feed container is restricted in size, so as to provide a comparatively small fuel surface exposed to the air, and that air is admitted to the wick feed container only through one 'or more comparatively small openings 44 communicating with the burner compartment, preferably within the chimney and independent of the wick passage. At present this air passage is through the burner-supporting sleeve.

lVith this construct-ion a low, clear, steady flame can be maintained over a long period, because the air pressure and capillary feed through the wick is constant at any height of flame, there being only sufficient air suction to aid in the necessary capillary feed of fuel in the wick. T his is due to the fact that the fuel in the wick feed container is not directly exposed to the atmosphere, or to the interior of the fuel supply container, and to the fact that fuel vapor and fumes generated in the wick feed container by heat from the burner and contiguous parts and causing a slight pressure, will escape through the openings 44 into the burner compartment and be drawn upwardly by the rising currents therein. ln other words, the openings 44 provide for neutralizing the pressure between the wick feed container and burner compartment. Thus, with but a limited supply of air being admitted to the warm air drum through the opening 38 and to the burner compartment within the chimney for supporting combustion and serving as a heat-circulating medium, the wick can be adjusted to burn a clear, low flame which will not vary with the level of the fuel in the supply container and which will not be affected by sudden changes in air pressure, such for example as is sometimes caused in prior constructions by buckling of the container disks either in handling or moving the heater or by the weight of the chicks on the upper disk. A uniform flame may thus be obtained for a much longer peri-od with a given quantity of fuel than is possible .with some prior constructions, and furthermore, the flame is dependable, that is, the flame will burn at a set brilliancy and will not be extinguished when subjected to circumstances and conditions under which some previous burners of this class will overheat, become smoky, or will be extinguished. lVith the present construction, it will be further noted that the wick feed container serves as a support for the center of the chick-supporting floor and positively prevents deflection thereof.

It is believed that the foregoing discloses to those skilled in this art that the construction is comparatively simple and of such character that it may be produced at a comparatively low cost, and that the principle and mode of operation insures dependability, i

efficiency, and economy.

It should be understood that in putting my invention into practice, many changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims, in which I claim:

1. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which provides a relatively broad chick-supporting floor, a wick burner on said container, a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container serving to centrally support the chick-supporting floor, and a heat-radiating casing about the burner.

2. A brooder heater of the character described, comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which constitutes a chick-supporting fioor, a wick burner on said container, a heat-radiating casing about the burner, means whereby only a limited supply of air will be admitted to said casing for supporting burner combustion and providing a heat-circulating medium, and a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container having a fuel passage near its bottom communicating with the supply container and having a limited air passage at its top communicating with the interior of said.casing.

3. A heater of the character described comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which provides a chicksupporting floor, a wickburner thereon, a heat-radiating casing about the burner, means for admitting only a limited air supply to said casing for supporting burner combustion and providing a heat-circulating medium, and a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container serving to support said chick supporting floor, said wick feed container being closed except for a lower fuel passage communicating with the interior of the supply container and an upper air passage communicating with the interior of the heat-radiating casing.

l. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which provides a chick-supporting floor, a wick burner supported on the top of said container, a heat-radiating casingabout the burner, a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container closed except for a fuel passage communicating with the supply container and an air pa ssa-ge communicating with the interior of the heat-radiating casing.

5. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which serves as a chick supporting and warming platform, a wick burner thereon, a heat-radiating casing about the burner, and a liquid fuel wickfeed container within the supply container closed except for a lower fuel passage communicating with the interior of the supply container and an upper air passage communicating with the interior of the heat-radiating casing independently of the wick passage through the burner.

6. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the

top of which serves as a chick supporting bination,

and warming platform, a wick burner, a chimney about the burner, and a liquid fuel wick-feed container of limited size fed with fuel from said supply container and being otherwise closed except for an airpassage communicating with the interior of the chimney compartment independently of the wick passage in the burner. l

7. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which provides a chick-supporting floor, a wick burner on said container, a heatradiating casing about the burner, and a liquidfuel wick-feed container within said supv ply container serving to support said chicksupporting floor and to regulate the air feed through the wick passage in the burner.

8. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which serves as a chick supporting and warming platform, a wick burner thereon, a heat-radiating casing about the burner, means whereby only a limited supply of air will beadmitted to the heat-radiating casing for supplying burner combustion and providing a limited heat-circulating medium, and means to afford airV communication between the bottom of the wick burner passage and the heat-radiating casing only. y

9. A brooderheater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supplyy container formed of upper and lower sheet metal disks joined' marginally, the upper substantially horizontal floor, means inside the container reaching from the one disk to the other to prevent vibration or buckling thereof, a wick burner centrally supported lon the upper disk, and a heat-radiating casing about the burner.

10. A'brooderheater comprising, in comformed of an upper and a lower disk joined marginally, said upper disk providing a chick-supporting floor and having a central opening, a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container having a lower liquid fuel passage communicating with the supply container and having an opening in its top in registration with said opening in the upper disk, a wick burner, and a burnersupporting sleeve passing through said opening and clamped to the upper disk and top of the wick-feed container.

11. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container formed of an upper and a lower disk joined marginally, said upper disk providing a chicksupporting floor and having a central opening, a liquid fuel wick-feed container within the supply container having a lower liquid fuel passage communicating with the supply container and having an opening in its top in registration with said opening in the upper disk, a wick burner, an annular retaining wall having a base portion seated on top of disk providing a fiat,

chick-supportin g a liquid fuel supply container the upper disk and provided with' an opening registering with the opening in said disk, and a burner-supporting sleeve passing through said opening and serving to clamp said retaining wall top portion, upper disk and top of the wick-feed container together'. l2. A brooder heater comprising, in combination, a liquid fuel supply container, the top of which serves as a chick supporting and warming platform, a wick burner, a heatradiating casing about the burner, a liquid fuel wick-feed container within said supply container closed thereto except through a bottom fuel passage, and a burner-supporting sleeve shaped to provide a limited air passage between the interior of the heat-radiating casing and the wick-feed container.

v13. In a heater of the character described, the combination of a fuel reservoir the top of which is adapted to serve as a chick platform, a burner having a wick supplied with fuel from the reservoir, a heat radiating casing arranged to be removably supported on top of s aid reservoir and enclosing the burner, and a sheet metal plate fitting o n top of said reservoir having the marginal portion thereof flanged upwardly to removably receive the lower end of said casing and retain the same inproperrelation to the burner, said plate being held in position yby the burner.

,14.` In a heater of the character described, the combination of a fuel reservoir the top of which is adapted to serve as a chick platform, a heat radiating casing arranged to be removably supportedthereon, a burner within the latter, a wick container therebeneath within and communicating with the reservoir whereby to have fuel supplied to the wick of `said burner, and a retaining member for the casing on top of said reservoir having the marginal edge thereof formed for removably receiving the lower end of said casing thereon, said member and said wick container being both Xed with and held iii-.position bythe burner. l

' FRANKLIN C. HARE. 

